Multi-layered alumium brazing sheet material

ABSTRACT

Multilayered brazing sheet material including an aluminium core alloy layer having a first brazing clad layer material on one face of the core layer and a second brazing clad layer material on the other face of the core material, and an inter-layer between the core layer and the first brazing clad layer material, wherein the core layer is 3xxx-series aluminium alloy having, in wt. %, up to 0.4% Si, up to 0.5% Fe, 0.4% to 0.75% Cu, 0.6% to 1.1% Mn, up to 0.04% Mg, up to 0.2% Cr, up to 0.25% Zr, up to 0.2% Ti, up to 0.15% Zn, balance aluminium and impurities, wherein the first brazing layer and the second brazing layer are 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 7% to 14% Si and up to 2% Mg, balance aluminium and impurities, and wherein the inter-layer is aluminium alloy of the 1xxx-series alloys.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a multi-layered brazing sheet material consisting of an aluminium core alloy layer provided with a first brazing clad layer material on one face of said aluminium core layer and a second brazing clad layer material on the other face of said aluminium core material, and an interlayer or inter-liner positioned between the aluminium core alloy layer and the first or second brazing clad layer material. The invention further relates to a brazed heat exchanger comprising various components and at least one component being made from the aluminium alloy brazing sheet according to this invention.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

As will be appreciated herein below, except as otherwise indicated, aluminium alloy designations and temper designations refer to the Aluminum Association designations in Aluminum Standards and Data and the Registration Records, as published by the Aluminum Association in 2014.

For any description of alloy compositions or preferred alloy compositions, all references to percentages are by weight percent unless otherwise indicated.

Substrates of aluminium or aluminium alloy in the form of sheet or extrusion, are used to make shaped or formed products. In some of these processes parts of (shaped) aluminium comprising substrates are interconnected. One end of a substrate may be interconnected with the other end or one substrate may be assembled with one or more other substrates. This is commonly done by brazing, a technique well known to the person skilled in the art. In a brazing process, a brazing filler metal or brazing alloy, or a composition producing a brazing alloy upon heating, is applied to at least one portion of the substrate to be brazed. After the substrate parts are assembled, they are heated until the brazing metal or brazing alloy melts. The melting point of the brazing material is lower than the melting point of the aluminium substrate or aluminium core sheet.

Brazing sheet products find wide applications in heat exchangers and other similar equipment. Conventional brazing products have a core of rolled sheet, typically, but not exclusively an aluminium alloy of the 3xxx-series, having on at least one surface of the core sheet an aluminium clad layer (also known as an aluminium cladding layer). The aluminium clad layer is made of a 4xxx-series alloy comprising silicon in an amount in the range of 2% to 20% by weight, and preferably in the range of about 6% to 14% by weight. The aluminium clad layer may be coupled or bonded to the core alloy in various ways known in the art, for example by means of roll bonding, cladding spray-forming or semi-continuous or continuous casting processes. These aluminium clad layers have a liquidus temperature typically in the range of about 540° C. to 615° C.

There is a need for further improved brazing sheet materials that can be supplied in a fully annealed temper, and is sufficiently formable to produce complex shaped aluminium substrates, and that can be exposed to both vacuum brazing and controlled-atmosphere brazing (“CAB”) events, and achieves high levels of post-braze corrosion resistance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a brazing sheet material that meet this need, or at least an alternative product capable of being supplied in a fully annealed temper, and is sufficiently formable to produce complex shaped aluminium substrates, and that can be exposed to both vacuum brazing and controlled atmosphere brazing events, and achieves high levels of post-braze corrosion resistance.

This and other objects and further advantages are met or exceeded by the present invention providing a 4-layered brazing sheet material consisting of an aluminium core alloy layer provided with a first brazing clad layer material on one face of said aluminium core layer and a second brazing clad layer material on the other face of said aluminium core material, and an inter-layer positioned between the aluminium core alloy layer and the first brazing clad layer material, wherein the core layer is made from an 3xxx-series aluminium alloy having, in wt. %, up to 0.4% Si, up to 0.5% Fe, 0.4% to 0.75% Cu, 0.6% to 1.1% Mn, up to 0.04% Mg, up to 0.2% Cr, up to 0.25% Zr, up to 0.2% Ti, up to 0.15% Zn, balance aluminium and impurities, wherein the first brazing layer and the second brazing layer are made from an 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 14% Si and up to 2% Mg, balance aluminium and impurities, and wherein the inter-layer is made from an aluminium alloy of the 1xxx-series alloys.

The brazing sheet material according to this invention has a very good corrosion resistance in acidic environments, can be subjected to cyclic temperature and pressure variations, as typically found in automotive applications (e.g. as the result of spent fuel vapour condensation), and as such, the brazing sheet material is suitable for being applied in direct air-to-air charge air cooling (“CAC”) or intercooling, air-to-water CAC, water-to-air CAC, exhaust gas cooling, exhaust gas recirculation systems, hybrid cooling system, two-phase cooling systems, etc., and forms at least an alternative product capable of extending the serviceable life of such heat exchanger units beyond the scope of performance feasible with the current art. The brazing sheet material is producible as coil and sheet, to support mass production scale and batch scale processing, and is sufficiently formable to produce the complex shaped aluminium substrates referenced above. The brazing sheet material is of sufficiently high quality to allow repeatable brazing and consistent component performance. The brazing sheet material is brazeable in both controlled atmosphere brazing process, either with or without the application of a brazing flux material, and vacuum brazing processes and has high thermal stability in CAC cyclic operation. In addition the brazing sheet material achieves high levels of post-braze internal cleanliness.

In an embodiment the 3xxx-series aluminium core alloy is made from an aluminium alloy consisting of, in wt. %:

-   -   up to 0.3% Si, and more preferably up to 0.2%,     -   up to 0.5% Fe, preferably in a range of 0.15% to 0.45%, and more         preferably 0.25% to 0.45%,     -   0.4% to 0.75% Cu, preferably 0.50% to 0.70%, and more preferably         0.50% to 0.68%,     -   0.6% to 1.1% Mn, preferably 0.7% to 1.0%, and more preferably         0.7% to 0.95%,     -   up to 0.04% Mg, preferably up to 0.02%, such that the aluminium         alloy is substantially free from Mg,     -   up to 0.2% Cr, preferably up to 0.09%, more preferably up to         0.04%,     -   up to 0.25% Zr, preferably up to 0.09%, more preferably up to         0.04%,     -   up to 0.2% Ti, preferably 0.05% to 0.2%, more preferably 0.06%         to 0.12%,     -   up to 0.15% Zn, preferably up to 0.1%,     -   balance aluminium and impurities.

The first and the second brazing clad liner are each made from a 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 14% Si and up to 0.35% Mg, ideally for use in a CAB process. Preferably the Si is up to 11%. The Mg level is preferably up to 0.10%, and more preferably up to 0.04%, such that the aluminium alloy is substantially free from Mg. The balance is made by aluminium and unavoidable impurities, which in practical terms would mean up to 0.6% Fe, up to 0.1% Mn, up to 0.08% Cu, up to 0.20% Zn, others each <0.05%, total <0.2%, remainder aluminium.

In an alternative embodiment the first brazing clad liner and the second brazing clad liner are each made from a 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 14% Si and up to 2% Mg, balance aluminium and impurities. Preferably the Si content is in a range of 7% to 11% Si. Preferably the Mg content is in a range of 0.4% to 2%, and more preferably 1% to 1.8% Mg, to enable the brazing sheet material to be used in a vacuum brazing process. The balance is made by aluminium and unavoidable impurities, which in practical terms would mean up to 0.6% Fe, up to 0.1% Mn, up to 0.1% Cu, up to 0.2% Zn, others each <0.05%, total <0.2%, remainder aluminium.

In an alternative embodiment the first and the second brazing clad liner are each made from a 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 14% Si, up to 0.5% Mg, up to 0.5% Bi and/or up to 0.5% Y, ideally for use in a fluxless controlled atmosphere brazing process. Preferably the Si is up to 9%. The balance is made by aluminium and unavoidable impurities, which in practical terms would mean up to 0.6% Fe, up to 0.1% Mn, up to 0.08% Cu, up to 0.20% Zn, others each <0.05%, total <0.2%, remainder aluminium.

The interlayer or inter-liner is made from an aluminium alloy of the 1xxx-series alloys, preferably aluminium from the AA1050-series. The 1xxx-series alloy has preferably a Zn-content of less than 0.1%, and preferably of less than 0.05%. The AA1050-series alloy has by definition of the Aluminium Association a Zn-content of less than 0.05%. In a preferred embodiment the interlayer has a thickness of 60 μm or less, for example of about 40 μm or about 50 μm, and is to control the diffusion of alloying elements, e.g. Si, from the core layer to the brazing layer, and as such limits inter-granular corrosion propagation through the core layer in the post-braze condition, and thereby significantly improve the post-braze corrosion performance of the brazing sheet product when applied in a heat exchanger, in particular a CAC. The 1xxx-series interlayer also provides galvanic protection to the 3xxx-series aluminium core alloy.

The brazing sheet material according to this invention can be manufactured via various techniques. For example by roll bonding as is well known in the art. Alternatively one or more of the layers can be applied on the core alloy layer by means of thermal spraying techniques. Or alternatively the core alloy layer and the second brazing clad layer can be manufactured by means of casting techniques, for example as disclosed in international patent document WO-2004/112992-A2 (Alcan) as published on 29 Dec. 2004, whereby further layers can be applied by means of for example roll bonding or thermal spraying techniques.

The brazing sheet material according to the invention has a typical thickness at final gauge in the range of about 0.1 mm to 1.2 mm. The brazing sheet material is preferably up to about 1 mm thick at final gauge, and more preferably up to about 0.6 mm.

Each of the first and second brazing layers has typically a thickness of 5% to 15% of the total thickness, for example each of about 10%.

In an embodiment of the invention the core layer has been homogenised during its manufacturing route prior to hot deformation into thinner gauge material. Typically such a homogenisation heat treatment is performed in a temperature range of 400° C. to 650° C. for a soaking time in a range of 5 to 48 hours, to enable O-temper material.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the brazing sheet material is provided in an O-temper, and which is fully annealed.

In another embodiment of the invention the brazing sheet material is provided in an H2x-temper, wherein x is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. More preferably it is provided in an H24-temper.

In another aspect of the invention is relates to a brazed tube made from the multi-layered brazing sheet material according to this invention acting as a fluid passage channel in a heat exchanger apparatus.

In another aspect of the invention is relates to a brazed heat exchanger comprising at least one tube made from the multi-layered brazing sheet material according to this invention. Ideally the heat exchanger is a charge-air-cooler (“CAC”), also known in the art as an intercooler. More preferably in a water-CAC, in the art also known as a liquid-CAC.

The brazing sheet material is suitable for being applied also in air-to-water CAC, water-to-air CAC, exhaust gas cooling, exhaust gas recirculation systems, hybrid cooling system, and two-phase cooling systems. 

1. A multi-layered brazing sheet material consisting of an aluminium core alloy layer provided with a first brazing clad layer material on one face of said aluminium core layer and a second brazing clad layer material on another face of said aluminium core material, and an inter-layer positioned between the aluminium core alloy layer and the first brazing clad layer material, wherein the core layer is made from an 3xxx-series aluminium alloy having, in wt. %, up to 0.4% Si, up to 0.5% Fe, 0.4% to 0.75% Cu, 0.6% to 1.1% Mn, up to 0.04% Mg, up to 0.2% Cr, up to 0.25% Zr, up to 0.2% Ti, up to 0.15% Zn, balance aluminium and impurities, wherein the first brazing layer and the second brazing layer are made from an 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 14% Si and up to 2% Mg, balance aluminium and impurities, and wherein the inter-layer is made from an aluminium alloy of the 1xxx-series alloys.
 2. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the core layer is made from an aluminium alloy consisting of, in wt. %: up to 0.2% Si, 0.15% to 0.45% Fe, 0.50 to 0.7% Cu, 0.7% to 1.0% Mn, up to 0.02% Mg, up to 0.09% Cr, up to 0.09% Zr, 0.05% to 0.2% Ti, up to 0.15% Zn, balance aluminium and impurities.
 3. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the core layer is made from an aluminium alloy consisting of, in wt. %: up to 0.2% Si, 0.25% to 0.45% Fe, 0.50% to 0.68% Cu, 0.7% to 0.95% Mn, up to 0.02% Mg, up to 0.04% Cr, up to 0.04% Zr, 0.06% to 0.12% Ti, up to 0.15% Zn, balance aluminium and impurities.
 4. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the first brazing layer is made from a 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 11% Si and up to 0.35% Mg.
 5. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the inter-layer has a thickness of 60 μm or less.
 6. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the inter-layer is made from an aluminium alloy of the 1xxx-series alloys having a Zn-content of less than 0.1%, and preferably of less than 0.05%.
 7. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the multi-layer brazing sheet product has a total thickness in the range of 0.1 to 1.2 mm.
 8. The brazing sheet material according to claim 7, wherein each of the first and second brazing layer has a thickness of 5% to 15% of the total thickness.
 9. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the core layer has been homogenised.
 10. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the brazing sheet product is provided in an O-temper.
 11. The brazing tube made from the multi-layered brazing sheet material according to claim
 1. 12. A heat exchanger comprising a brazed tube made from the multi-layered brazing sheet material according to claim
 1. 13. A charge-air-cooler incorporating a brazed tube made from the multi-layered brazing sheet material according to claim
 1. 14. A water charge-air-cooler incorporating a brazed tube made from the multi-layered brazing sheet material according to claim
 1. 15. The brazing sheet material according to any one of claim 1, wherein the first brazing layer and the second brazing layer are each made from a 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 11% Si and up to 0.35% Mg, balance impurities and aluminium
 16. The brazing sheet material according to any one of claim 1, wherein the first brazing layer and the second brazing layer are each made from a 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 11% Si and up to 0.10% Mg, balance impurities and aluminium.
 17. The brazing sheet material according to claim 1, wherein the first brazing layer is made from a 4xxx-series aluminium alloy having 6% to 11% Si and up to 0.10% Mg, balance impurities and aluminium. 